| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Galehead Mountain, South Twin Mountain, North Twin Mountain, Mt. Guyot, Zealand Mountain, West Bond, Mt. Bond, Bondcliff, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Gale River Road, Gale River Trail, Garfield Ridge Trail, Frost Trail, Twinway, North Twin Spur, Zealand Spur, Bondcliff Trail, West Bond Spur, Lincoln Woods Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Wednesday, April 20, 2016 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Parked at 5 Corners & Lincoln Woods, no problems. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Ice - Blue, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Snow/Ice - Frozen Granular, Mud - Minor/Avoidable |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
Light Traction |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
On Gale River Trail, crossing of Garfield Brook was a little tricky on icy rocks. The others were easy. Crossings of Black Brook and One-Mile Brook on Bondcliff Trail were easy. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Unclogged a few waterbars on lower Gale River and Bondcliff Trails. Usual amount of blowdowns for spring. The one on West Bond Spur requires walking around. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
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 | Bugs: |
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 | Lost and Found: |
Just above the highest crossing of Black Brook (4th if ascending) on Bondcliff Trail, there was an abandoned campsite. On their ascent earlier in the day, two other hikers mentioned finding the site strewn with LOTS of garbage, including MREs, candles, fuel, a Suboxone wrapper, etc. They picked up all the garbage (double bagged thankfully), and we carried it out, all 7-8 *POUNDS* of it. There is still a roped-up tarp hanging at the site. Looks to be free for the taking! Can't miss it--it looks like an aid station. |
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 | Comments: |
Headed up Gale River Road at O'dark thirty. Lower Gale River Trail was mostly dry and barebootable, some mud in the usual wet spots. Thrilled to hear first thrushes of the season as the sun rose! A short ways above the gravel outwash we put on Hillsound spikes and kept them on until coming off South Twin. Ice was "grippier" than it has been; bonding with a bit of new snow two days ago seems to have helped. Even going up South Twin wasn't bad.
Heard helicopters from the Twinway. One (of the only three) hikers we met said they were dropping stuff off at Galehead Hut already. Conditions on North Twin Spur and Twinway were very easy this day, with firm footing and still plenty of snow/ice in the woods to fill in the rocks. Nice new sign marking the turn to Zealand Mtn! (Even got a gray jay to pose in front of it.)
After rocks of Guyot, we put spikes back on for West Bond and Bond but removed them for the rocks of Bondcliff. Yuck, the big rocks from Bond to Bondcliff are no longer filled with snow/ice. (Fancypants whined a little bit.) Bondcliff Ridge is completely clear of ice. Below the Hillary Step, it was spikes to the upper crossing of Black Brook, with lots of bare ground interspersed. From the upper crossing out, we barebooted the remaining 7+ miles.
A perfect April day up there. |
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 | Name: |
Snowflea & Fancypants |
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 | E-Mail: |
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| Date Submitted: |
2016-04-21 |
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 | Link: |
 https:// |
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Disclaimer: Reports are not verified - conditions may vary. Use at own risk. Always be prepared when hiking. Observe all signs. Trail conditions reports are not substitutes for weather reports or common sense. |
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